Reduction in Sheep Population Across Europe: Causes and Consequences

Increase in Lamb Prices One positive outcome of this trend has been a significant strengthening of lamb prices. For instance, record prices for sheep were set in Ireland in the early months of 2024.

Impact of Environmental Policies British experts attribute the reduction in the sheep population to the impact of recent environmental policies introduced by the UK government. For example, tree planting reduces the amount of land available for sheep farming. Nevertheless, numerous studies indicate that sheep farming is one of the most sustainable agricultural practices.

Colin Smith's Commentary Colin Smith, Executive Director of the Livestock and Meat Commission of Northern Ireland (LMC), noted that several factors are contributing to the reduction in the sheep population across Europe.

These include:

• The age profile of farmers
• Access to land
• Access to and cost of labor
• Changes in agricultural policies encouraging land use
• Overall environmental policies